Its too good of a quote not to forward along....

Photo from TED.com Speaker Profile

"Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right."

-Jane Goodall, quoted in NationalGeographic.com

TEDxJacksonHole - Speech Making in the EXTREME

One of the most rewarding projects I have been involved with over the past year has been TEDxJacksonHole. The success of each sold-out event has been gratifying, thought the most rewarding aspect of my participation in TEDxJacksonHole has definitely been in working with and coaching each of the speakers. 

In my role as Speaker Coordinator, I witnessed the development of each TEDx talk from the first nomination, though speech writing, rehearsal, and finally the live performance. Coaching each speaker though the process has been both challenging and enlightening for me.  For many speakers, it is an emotional roller coaster that dips from moments of tearful frustration to the height of jubilation when they nail the speech in front of the sold out audience.  Each of the speakers brought 100% of their commitment, passion, and enthusiasm to the event, and for that, I thank them.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to showcase some of the great speeches from TEDxJacksonHole on SalesIsTheNewMarketing.com.  Visit frequently, and mark you calendars for the weekend of October 5th for our next TEDxJacksonHole event at the Center for the Arts.

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Kevin "KAL" Kallaugher was a complete joy to work with for TEDxJacksonHole EXTREME.  He brought a level of professionalism with him that has been unmatched by any other speaker at either event.  Both funny and inspirational, Kevin made an immediate connection with the audience as he shared a subject and perspective that many people rarely consider.

How You Talk Is How You Should Market Your Business

How we talk is the core to how we communicate.  How we communicate is core to how we connect with customers. Too many businesses create a marketing strategy based on what they think they their customers want to hear, rather than trusting their own voice to communicate why they serve their customers in the first place.

My approach to marketing for Teton Healing Arts has been to encourage every practitioner to speak in their own voice.  To communicate from their own heart.  Once everyone became comfortable speaking candidly about why their work is important to the health of their patients, it became simple to make those messages engaging from a marketing perspective.

Thanks again to my friend Nick Staron from Jackson Hole Adventure Video, for helping me create this video testimonial.  

-John

"Watch your thoughts for they become words. Choose your words for they become actions. Understand your actions for they become habits. Study your habits for they will become your character. Develop your character for it becomes your destiny."
                                                                                                                - Lao Tzu

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Woah, it’s been quite a while since my last blog entry! Thankfully, my absence is the result of being extremely busy this summer. Aside from the obvious benefit of being busy ($$$), working with new clients and new projects has been a great learning opportunity! I am convinced, there is no better way to keep ahead of the curve, keep energized, and pursue innovation than to be proactive about working with new projects.

“To stay ahead, you must have your next idea waiting in the wings”   -Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Last Minute Stocking Stuffer - FROM SPACE!

Fisher Space Pen - IN ACTION!

Anyone who has been to one of my networking seminars or workshops has heard my rule:  “Always have a pen with you.”  This is important so that you can write down useful notes from each conversation that you have.  It is hard enough to remember names and faces when you meet a variety of people at one event.  To remember the topics of conversation that you discussed, the hobbies and interests of your new acquaintances, you’ve got to take notes.  I like to write them on the business cards I receive from people I meet.  This way when I am transferring the contact info into my computer later on, I also have notes from our conversation handy.  Always having a pen with you is a habit that you need to create for yourself.

Cowboy Up

Last week, a friend of mine made a speech at our local Toastmasters club, and the message has stuck with me for the past 7 days.  Oly Olson was born in Wyoming and has lived here most of his life.  He loves Jackson Hole as much as anyone else who lives here or who visits.  The purpose of Oly’s speech was to bring attention to how everyone comes to Jackson Hole because of it’s unique character, yet as soon as they get here, they want to change it to make it more like the place they came from.
The main point that Oly was driving was to embrace the Western culture of Jackson Hole.